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Hi, everyone.  If you could let me know what you think of my history and future strategy.

 

Lorazepam .5mg

- Taken from early February to early June (85 pills over the course of 114 days)

- Stopped cold turkey on June 1

- Reinstated on June 14 (1 week .5mg and following week .25mg; off of recommendation of psychiatrist); stopped on June 28

 

Cymbalta 30mg

- Taken from June 1 to June 6 (stopped cold turkey because of side effects)

- Didn't know if the side effects were being caused by Cymbalta or Lorazepam

 

Klonopin .5mg

- Taken 1 each night from June 30 to July 9 (based on recommendation for doctor for sleep jerks)

- Beginning taper at .125 for 1 week, taper another .125 each week until at 0

 

My ultimate goal is to be drug free and rely on more healthy decisions to relieve anxiety.  I'm not sure if if the side effects that I'm experiencing (and have experienced are due to the Cymbalta or Lorazepam.  My doctor also put me on Attenenol 25mg as a beta blocker to help with anxiety.

 

Side effects / symptoms experienced since June 4:

- Sleep jerks (when initially trying to get to sleep and last through the night if I were to wake up again)

- Insomnia

- Muscle twitch on inner right elbow that would go constantly (stopped after 3 weeks)

- Muscle jerk in left elbow, happens occassionally when I am at rest

- Muscle jerk in abdoment (has calmed down quite a bit in last couple of weeks)

- High blood pressure (have been able to get this down in the few weeks; never had this before)

- Cloudiness in head & pressure (much better in last couple of weeks)

- Sensitive to noises (seems to be better)

 

I've been off of the Lorazepam since June 28 and am going to taper off of the Klonopin does this count potentially as a cross-taper or switch since they are both benzos?  I know that is what is done when transitioning to valium.  I feel better about ending my benzo experience with Klonopin since it has a longer half life.  Thoughts?

 

I need for my body to heal!  :(

 

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Hi, Arcelus.

 

My guess is that stopping the Cymbalta is responsible for much of the symptoms you are experiencing.  When you reinstated at .5mg Klonopin, you effectively doubled the amount of benzo you had been on with the Lorazepam.  It seems like the symptoms you are getting are mostly annoying but not really disturbing so you may be okay dropping .125mg Klonopin every week or so.  I don't know what a cross taper is but if you are referring to a substitution taper, it really wouldn't be one since you stopped the Lorazepam before you started the Klonopin.  As you probably know, Klonopin has a longer half-life and is, therefore, potentially easier to taper off of than Lorazepam. 

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Congrats on being Lorazepam free  :thumbsup:

 

I agree with Beeper, and wouldn't class your switch from Lorazepam to Klonopin as a cross taper or substitution.

 

The best thing to do moving forward would be to tackle one med at a time.  If I were you, I would do a sensible taper from the Klonopin - your schedule sounds fine based on your circumstances - and then, once you are feeling stable, tackle the Cymbalta.

 

All the best  :thumbsup:

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Thanks, Beeper and Bevoir.

 

Beeper, I think you might be right and that a majority of my symptoms might be because of the SNRI discontinuation of the Cymbalta.  I've read in the Cymbalta withdrawal forums that even short term use can lead to discontinuation symptoms that can last for months.  The klonopin has been great for me in getting some sleep at night and I'm able to get about 5-8 hours (before I was only getting between 3-4 because of the sleep jerks).  I'm a little scared to take the klonopin for too long so I'm going to start tapering off of it starting this week.  Even if I get the sleep jerks back again I'll try and manage it through other means.  I think I've heard some people have slight success with magnesium powder.  I'll keep drinking some tart cherry juice and maybe I'll have some chamomile tea.  I just need these drugs out of my system and for my body to continue to heal.  I never would have thought that it would take so long.

 

Bevoir, thanks!  I am glad to be done with the Lorazepam.  I only took the Cymbalta for 6 days and have been free of that since June 6th, but I may be still experiencing discontinuation symptoms of that.  I've heard of people getting the sleep jerks from both SSRI, SNRIs, and from Benzos.  It seems like the tend to go away after about 2-3 months so I've got faith and hope that mine will too.  It makes it very difficult to fall asleep and impossible for me to take naps on the weekend.  Ugh.... I miss my naps.

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Bevoir, thanks!  I am glad to be done with the Lorazepam.  I only took the Cymbalta for 6 days and have been free of that since June 6th, but I may be still experiencing discontinuation symptoms of that.  I've heard of people getting the sleep jerks from both SSRI, SNRIs, and from Benzos.  It seems like the tend to go away after about 2-3 months so I've got faith and hope that mine will too.  It makes it very difficult to fall asleep and impossible for me to take naps on the weekend.  Ugh.... I miss my naps.

 

It really would be hard to say exactly where your withdrawal side effects are coming from, as you have recently stopped using two meds.  I should imagine that you are being hit with withdrawals from both meds, but I would say that the benzo withdrawal is more likely to cause you the most amount of grief rather than the SSRI.  Just hold tight for a while before you even think about tapering the Klonopin.  And, don't worry, as you heal your naps will come back to you  :)  Mine did  :yippee:

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Hi arcelus,

 

It sounds like you have a good plan in place by reducing .125mgs per week.

 

Just remember that you can always slow it down or make smaller cuts if things get uncomfortable. :thumbsup:

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I've got to say that you guys are really great on this board.  The support that I see from everyone for one another is simply fantastic.  You've really developed an amazing community.  Thank you for your support and help in my situation.  :)
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hey, guys.  I'm going to make my final jump this Saturday evening with no more benzos.  I'm a little scared as the klonopin has helped with the myoclonic jerks since I've been on it earlier this month.  I still notice them in the morning if I wake up early and try to get back to sleep again.  I've cut .125 each week for the past few weeks and will be down to 0 on Satuday.

 

I fear that I may be in for some really rough sleep and it will be hard to resist not going back to the klonopin to help.  However, I've been taking chelated magnesium (glycinate) 300 mg and I think it might be helping me.  If I find that I'm jerking myself back awake again then I might take the calms forte that I just bought and see if that helps me.  I'm scared at the notion of only getting 2-3 or 0 hours of sleep a night especially since I have a full time job that demands my attention, but I'm committed to being free of this drug (I was on Lorezapam .5mg for 4 months before going on klonopin; I'm one of the accidental addicts as my psychiatrist didn't tell me they could do this to me).

 

Any advice for me as I'm about ready to make my final leap?  OMG... I am scared.  :-\

 

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My advice, take the leap and don't look back, change your mindset that the drug helped you into seeing how much it's hurt you.  Be confident in your bodies ability to heal from this train wreck and trust that doing without sleep for a short time, is the price you have to pay to be free from this mess.  I'm sad you or anyone has to pay this price, but it's an amazing lesson in humility and patience.
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